Apparatus for copy lenticular film



July 14, 1936- .o. E. MILLER APPARATUS FOR COPY LENTICULAR FILM Filed Sept. 29, 1954 Patented July 14,21936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,047,282 APPARATUS FOR COPY LENTICULAR FIIM Oran E. Miller, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 29, 1934, Serial No. 746,250

2 Claims. (01. 88-24) I for motion picture film provided with transverse My present invention relates to an improved apparatus for duplicating lenticular film and more particularly to the printing of such film at a magnification other than unity.

In the reproduction of lenticular color films by projection printing it is possible to print-either at an increase in magnification or at a reduction but heretofore such reproduction has always been subject to the limitation that the resulting relative aperture is increased or decreased inversely as the magnification. This change of relative aperture in the print gives rise to a number of disadvantages for if it is decreased considerable light is lost in projecting the copy film .and the resolving power requirements are increased, while, if the relative aperture is increased, the relative aperture of the lenticulations or of the projection system will probably be exceeded.

These disadvantages are not present when the printing is carried out with the lenticulations on the copy film extending in a direction which is at a considerable angle to the'direction of the lenticulations of the original film and this arrangement for making a copy of an altered scale is described and claimed by Merrill W. Seymour in an application filed August 1, 1930, Serial #472,349, which issued October 9, 1934 as Patent No. 1,976,300.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for printinggofiered film on an altered scale and with the gofl erings on the two films extending parallel to one another without materially affecting the relative aperture at which the print is recorded.

Another object or my invention is to provide a method and apparatus for printing lenticular film with a magnification other than unity whereby the lenticulations on both the original and copy films may have the same relative aperture and may extend in the same directions on the two films.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appened claims.

In the drawing Fig. l is a diagraatic View illustrating the evolution of the special diaphragm employed in the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the filters shown in 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of aspeelal diaphragm developed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. l is a diagrammatic view in perspective showing an optical prmter eme playing the diaphragm shown in Fig. 3. ln 5 is a diatic showing of an optical printer lenticulations.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed that in making a reduction print on a film I 0 from an original film l l with the lenticulations of both films parallel to one another, if the print is to be recorded at the same relative aperture as the rec- 0rd on the original film II), it will be necessary in projecting the film It) to employ a banded filter l2 which subtends an angle at the film l0 which is equal to the angle which is subtended at the film l I by a fiIter l3 which would be used in projecting the film II. If the filter I2 is superposed on the filter l3, certain parts of the three filter areas 1', g, b and R, G, B of the two diaphragms I2 and I3 respectively are common to both diaphragms. By using these common areas a diaphragm can be developed which will give the print the correct relative aperture if the overlapping areas of different color bands are made opaque so that light coming from one filter area in the original may not pass through the diaphragm opening corresponding to a diflerent filter area in the print. In Figs. 1 and 2 the opaque material it shows the portions whic must be made impervious to light. With these overlapping portions of difierent filter areas opaque as shown in Fig. 1, it will be observed that each of the three difierently colored light beams usually red, green and blue directed onto the copy film ill will have passed through its corresponding color component image on the original film l i.

If the copy film i0 is panchromatic, it would be possible to print it using the color filters arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, however, as is well known, in practice the filters can be replaced by a diaphragm provided with apertures corresponding to the usual filter areas and such a diaphragm it is shown in Fig. 3.

From the above description it will be evident that the amount of reduction or magnification possible-by this method is limited by the requirement that the blue and red filter portions in the film it must have at least some areas in common with the blue and red filter portions in the filter 62.

In Fig. 4: a complete optical system utilizing the special diaphragm it is shown for making a reduced print on a goffered film l 77 from a goflerecl original film it The original film it is uniformly illuminated on its image side by means of a suitable source of light iii and in interposed rlifiiusing medium 2b which may be ground glass. An objective 2!] indicated in outline having the desired relative aperture for projecting an aerial image in the form of bands of the photographic images on the original at the filter plane of decreased size oi the objective 2i as is well known. A second ob= jective 22 as shown in outline, projects this aerial image onto the copy film M and has the same relative aperture as the objective 2 l 'but its focal.

length is less in order to secure the desired reduction in the size of the image formed on the film ll. The special diaphragm it is positioned in. the common filter plane of the two objectives 2i and 22 and due to its special shape as described above, it transmits to the objective 22 only the light having the proper color values.

In using the arrangement just described the the apertures in the diaphragm it theoretically reduces the amount of available light in projecting the copy film ll, actually considerable tolerance is available due to the limit of the resolving power of the photographic emulsion on the film ill and the theoretical loss or light is not a practical disadvantage.

In making a print on a sensitive motion picture film 23 from an original in accordance with my invention, a projection printer on the type diagrammatically shown in Fig. 5 may be employed. In this printer the original filmil or other picture record represented as having horizontal lenticular elements is moved a frame at a time by any well known pull-down mechanism lnot shown) from a supply reel 25 through a gate structure 26 to a take-up reel 2i. -'lhe gate it has a window it which is illuminated from a light source 29 through a plate 30 of ground glass or other diffusing medium; The film to be printed which also has transverse lenticular elements is moved in synchronism withthe film 2 1 from a supply reel fill, past a window optical system of the printer comprises objectives 34 and.35 which have the same relative aperture but difierent focal lengths as described in connection with Fig. 4. These objectives are positioned on a common axis between the printing windows 28 and 32 so as to-image the original film 24 on the copy film 23. There is positioned between the objectives 3t and 35 -a diaphragm having apertures 3'11, 38 and 39 which correspond respectively to the difierent color components of the picture being printed as was described in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The shape and size of the apertures 31!, 3t and 39 are determined as above described so that the diaphragm 36 will transmit light only through those parts of the objective 35 corresponding to the parts of the three filter areas of the two diaphragms which are common to both diaphragms, that is the diaphragm which would normally be used with' motion picture film 2 3' ill and to a take-up reel 33. The- .light lost due to this cause is very small by reason of the resolving power of the photographic emuh sion on the film 2?.

Although the invention has been described as applied to a reduction printer, it is equally applicable to printing on an enlarged scale with no other alterationthan changing the light source to illuminate the film 23 whichin this case would be the original dim and the copy film in the win: dow 28 would receive the enlarged image.

lit will be understood that any of the well known expedients may be employed in connection with the printer of my invention for altering or improving the color saturation or forelimlnat= ing any moire pattern which may appear on the copy film.

While I have described certain specific arrangements for illustrating my invention, it is to be understood that other apparatus may be em ployed for practicing my invention without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is pointed out in the appended claims.

What I desire to secure the United States is:

l. A projection printer by Letters Patent in for printing from an original film of a definite width and having linear lenticulations on its surface upon a separate film of a different width and having linear lenticulae tions positioned, when in the printer, in parallel relation to those on the original film, said printer comprising two windows for supporting the films means for illuminating the relative aperture and a diaphragm between the objectives, the diaphragm having a series of apertures corresponding to the registering portions of the color bands when the filters for projecting the two films are. superposed.

2. A projection printer for printing pictures on a sensitive film having linear lenticulations from an original film having linear lenticulations parallel to those on the sensitive film comprising means for supporting the two films in spaced relation with theii lenticulations, parallel and facing each other, an optical system for imaging the picture on the sensitive film with a magnification other than unity, said optical system comprising two objectives of diiierent focal lengths and of the same relative aperture and a.

diaphragm between the objectives and having a.

series of apertures corresponding to the registering portions of the colorbands when the filters.

two films are superposed.

for projecting the I 

